PARIS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- French farmers drove about 100 tractors into Paris early Thursday and blocked roads at several symbolic sites, including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, to protest against agricultural policies and an EU trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur.
The protesters are demanding an end to a government policy of culling cows in response to the highly contagious lumpy skin disease and demonstrating against the trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur, France Info radio said.
The farmers' action in Paris "is not acceptable," government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon told France Info, adding that "all this is illegal, we will not allow it."
On the deal with Mercosur, the spokeswoman assured that "France has been clear and consistent: this treaty is neither fair nor equitable," adding that French President Emmanuel Macron and the government have demanded conditions that protect farmers.
The carbon border tax, which affects fertilizer imports into the European market, is also one of the irritants for grain growers and large-scale crop producers.
"There will be no increase in fertilizer prices linked to the carbon border tax," Macron said Wednesday evening on X, adding that "it will be revised to allow the suspension of its application to fertilizers, while customs duties on fertilizers and inputs will be quickly lowered."
EU member states are expected to vote to greenlight the long-delayed deal on Friday after Italy, who long maintained ambiguity about its position on the agreement, said it will vote in favor of the accord.
EU agriculture ministers held crunch talks on Wednesday to appease France, the staunch opponent of the trade deal. ■
